This invention relates to an apparatus and method of preventing the entrance of unauthorized persons through a window of a dwelling, or other structure.
It has been customary to provide the installation of an array of steel bars onto the outside or inside, of the windows of a dwelling, or other structure, thereby presenting an obstacle to an intruder. These steel bars are installed, and are held or locked into place, and do provide a certain amount of protection from intruders. There is a set of problems associated with these types of intrusion protection methods, in that, if the bars are permanently installed in the dwelling or, other structure, and an emergency exists, such as a fire inside the dwelling, the occupants find themselves locked in their own home, or, other dwelling, and cannot escape through the windows.
Several approaches have been provided for solving this problem, some with a certain amount of success. Young, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,070,048 teaches a releaseable window guard, which will release the Steel Bars in case of emergency. There is a problem with this method, as the intruder need only break the window, and release the Steel Bars themselves, thereby sabotaging the intrusion protection.
Another approach is taught by Smith, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,202, wherein a decorative system of steel bars is attached inside a wooden window, locked into place, and becomes a part of the decor of the window, or, the building. Here again, the problem exists in these teachings, that the intruder need only break the window glass, release the bars themselves, and enter the premises.
Still another approach is taught in the art of Bennett, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,030, wherein a matrix of steel bars are installed into the Window Frame, and locked into place. Here again, the lock is necessarily in a location which is available to the intruder, thereby sabotaging the security method.